DURING THIS time of economic recession we all need a good laugh and chortles galore are on the way to the city when the Galway Comedy Festival takes place from October 21 to 25.
The comedy festival will be officially launched in the Róisín Dubh on Wednesday October 16 at 7pm by none other than the irascible Fr Jack Hackett (the great Frank Kelly ) from Father Ted. There will be special guests, food, drink, agus craic, followed by comedy at 8.30pm with MC Gerry Mallon.
The festival highlight is bound to be Paddy Courtney & The Stars of Fr Ted featuring Joe Rooney (Fr Damo ), Patrick McDonnell (Eoin McLove ), Michael Redmond (Fr Stone ), and Fr Jack.
Also playing Galway over the October Bank Holiday weekend are Jason Byrne, Des Bishop, PJ Gallagher, Neil Delamere, Colin Murphy, Andrew Maxwell, Maeve Higgins, Stewart Lee, Whose Line is it Anyway?, and Reginald D Hunter.
Also playing are Jim Jeffries, Phil Nichol, John Cooper Clarke, Nina Conti, Kevin Bridges, Al Pitcher, Carey Marx, Sarah Kendal, Karl Spain, Dead Cat Bounce, Holly Walsh, Andrew Stanley and Damian Clark, and Eric Lalor.
Gigs will take place in the Town Hall Theatre, Róisín Dubh, Kelly’s, The Black Box, and The Radisson Blu.
Tickets are now on sale and the programme can be viewed at www.galwaycomedyfestival.com